Your Right to Know

HONG KONG — For Edward Snowden, the path to a sudden departure from Hong Kong late Sunday began
over a dinner days before of a large pizza, fried chicken and sausages, washed down with Pepsi.

Albert Ho, one of Snowden’s lawyers, said that before last Tuesday night’s dinner began, Snowden
insisted that all in attendance hide their cellphones in the refrigerator to block any
eavesdropping. Then began a two-hour conversation during which Snowden was deeply dismayed to learn
that he could spend years in prison without access to a computer during litigation over whether he
would be granted asylum here or surrendered to the United States, Ho said.

Remaining cooped up in the cramped Hong Kong home of a local supporter was less bothersome to
Snowden than the prospect of losing his computer.

“He didn’t go out. He spent all his time inside a tiny space, but he said it was OK because he
had his computer,” Ho said. “If you were to deprive him of his computer, that would be totally
intolerable.”

The outcome of that meeting, Ho said, was a decision by Snowden to have Ho pose two questions to
the Hong Kong government: Would he be released on bail if he were detained in Hong Kong at the
request of the United States? And would the Hong Kong government interfere if Snowden tried to go
to the airport and leave Hong Kong instead?

A person with knowledge of the Hong Kong government’s deliberations said the government had been
delighted to receive the questions. Leung Chun-ying, the chief executive, and his top advisers had
been trying to decide how to respond to a U.S. request for Snowden’s detention; public opinion in
Hong Kong seemed to favor protecting the fugitive.

An intermediary reportedly told Snowden on Friday night that the government could not predict
what Hong Kong’s independent judiciary would do and that it would welcome his departure.

But, Ho said, Snowden went through the same security and immigration channels as most air
passengers, a sign that the Hong Kong government wanted to minimize its involvement.

Ho said the disclosure late Friday evening of a sealed indictment against Snowden in the U.S.
had prompted his client to become considerably more anxious about staying in Hong Kong, and the
threat of spending years in courtrooms or jail.

“He wanted a simple life,” Ho said.

Snowden, 30, flew to Hong Kong from Honolulu without a well thought-out plan, while
overestimating how free he would be to move around, Ho added.

“He’s a kid. I really think he’s a kid. I think he never anticipated this would be such a big
matter in Hong Kong.”